DuBois
Chapter Thesis: In the seventh century, C.E., an Islamic caliphate formed through
Arab conquests, spanning from Spain to Central Asia and ushering forth an
intellectual bloom in the Baghdad of the later tenth century.
I. The Origins of Islam: Islam was formed on the Arabian Peninsula after the revelations
from a prophet named Muhammad claiming the revelations of God. Its rich political
history in this region spans hundreds of years and explains many of the social factors of
the Middle East, dominated by Islam, today.
A. The Arabian Peninsula before Muhammad: The interior of the Arabian Peninsula,
occupied only by the nomads who traversed its forbidding circumstances, linked
Arab farmers and fishers through caravan trade dominated by these nomads, who
founded cities like Mecca from the prosperity of trade.
o Arabs lived on the Arabian peninsula and desert outskirts of modern-day
Syria, Jordan, Iraq
o Sasanid Persians paid Arab militants for protection across their Euphrates
border, Byzantines did the same along their Jordanian border
o Pastoralists lived farther south, not engaging in imperial society
o Most of population on Arabian peninsula farmed in villages, inlets along
the coast supported fishing and trade, but the interior was known as the
“Empty Quarter” for its agricultural unproductivity and the nomads who
lived there
o Caravan trade linked peoples across this interior through the travel of
nomads for trade on efficient pack camels
o Mecca sprouted as a result of this caravan trade, between Yemen and
Syria, after a nomadic tribe called the Quraysh settled it far from warring
empires (an effective strategic location) – religious ties to this city
B. Muhammad in Mecca: Muhammad, seen as the founder of the religion of Islam,
was born into the city of Mecca in 570 and proclaimed to be the last messenger of
God with his revelations, which appealed to people in distress about kinship no
longer being the most important social value.
o Muhammad was born in Mecca in 570 and began meditating during the
evenings in 610 – one night he claimed to have a revelation from the angel
Gabriel from God, and shared this with only his close family
o The religion of Islam (“submission”), was founded from these revelations
to Muhammad, connected to Judaism and Christianity because of similar
prophets and characters
o Revelations lasted until 632, Muhammad’s death
C. Formation of the Umma: Following the fleeing of Muhammad and his earliest
followers from the city of Mecca, Islam continued to thrive under a caliphate in
Ethan Lee / Period 6 / Mr. DuBois
Medina, albeit with its respective disagreements and divisions among their people
over the rightful heir of the caliph, leading to the sects of Sunnis and Shi’ites.
o Threatened by the prospect that Muhammad’s claim to be the only
messenger for God could undermine their power, Mecca’s leadership
pressured Muhammad to leave
o Muhammad and his followers fled to the agricultural town of Medina –
this fleeing is marked on the Muslim calendar as the “hijra”
o Muhammad’s people and the people of Medina bound together in a
community called an umma, defined by its devotion to Islam
o Muslims of Medina eventually began attacking the city of Mecca, which
surrendered in 630 while Medina became a busy city-state and a hub for
Islam for the world
o Muhammad died of illness in 632 and it was decided that Abu Bakr, one
of his closest friends, would succeed him – he was the new caliph
(khalifa)
o Abu Bakr affirmed the teachings of Muhammad and established the Five
Pillars of Islam
o Quran was ordered to be compiled from the revelations of Muhammad and
took its final form around 650
o Third caliph – Uthman – was assassinated, rebels nominate Ali
(Muhammad’s first cousin), forming the faction of Islam known as the
Shi’ites, who believe that Ali was the rightful heir
o Ali defeated initial opponents, but Mu’awiya and arbitrator claimed that
Ali had been wrong in succeeding Uthman, who did not deserve death –
Ali murdered by a supporter of the arbitration
o Mu’awiya founded the Umayyad Caliphate with his son as the caliph but
Husayn from the family of Ali attempted to regain power and was killed
along with his family
o Divisions of Sunnis and Shi’ites exist along the organization of the
caliphate; Shi’ites see the caliph as more secular and are the minor sect
II. The Rise and Fall of the Caliphate, 632-1258: As Islamic caliphates continued in
conquest, the society rose to one of widespread religion in the community, but by the late
800s, this model of government lead by a caliph began to decline as they lost influence.
A. The Islamic Conquests, 634-711: In continuing conquest from Syria and Egypt to
Spain and the Indus Valley, the Islamic caliphate expanded in influence and
structured according to both the teachings of Muhammad and the edict of the
caliph.
o Conquests began under second caliph of Umar, taking over Syria and
Egypt from the Byzantine Empire and destroyed the Sasanids
o Decade passes and Tunisia is taken after its fall, organized for the attacks
on Spain from North Africa and Sind from Iraq
o Sub-Saharan Africa received Islam through peaceful trade influence
o Muhammad personally oversaw conquest of these territories
Ethan Lee / Period 6 / Mr. DuBois